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The New York Times magazine dedicated 5 whole screenfuls of text to the ketogenic diet last week. The article is written by a journalist who also happens to be the father of a 9-year-old keto kid. I had six or seven people send me the link — thanks, friends! It is always exciting to see epilepsy, an all-too-often ignored affliction, covered in mainstream media. But it is especially exciting to see such a well-respected publication put out an excellent article about the ketogenic diet, a treatment that does so much good, and that more people should know about.

Despite the excellent write-up, it’s frightening to see how close-minded and ignorant some of the commenters are. I guess some people are just determined to stay ignorant.

Unfortunately, it seems the article is no longer public, and requires registration to view… but registration is free and takes less than two minutes. The article is totally worth a couple of extra steps. Besides, now that I’m registered, I know I’m going to be reading the NY Times online a whole lot more.

Here’s an excerpt from the first page of the article, written by Fred Vogelstein:

“Once every three or four months my son, Sam, grabs a cookie or a piece of candy and, wide-eyed, holds it inches from his mouth, ready to devour it. He knows he’s not allowed to eat these things, but like any 9-year-old, he hopes that somehow, this once, my wife, Evelyn, or I will make an exception…

There is no crusade against unhealthful food in our house. Some might argue that unhealthful food is all we let Sam eat. His breakfast eggs are mixed with heavy cream and served with bacon. A typical lunch is full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with coconut oil. Dinner is hot dogs, bacon, macadamia nuts and cheese. We figure that in an average week, Sam consumes a quart and a third of heavy cream, nearly a stick and a half of butter, 13 teaspoons of coconut oil, 20 slices of bacon and 9 eggs. Sam’s diet is just shy of 90 percent fat. That is twice the fat content of a McDonald’s Happy Meal…”

Isn’t it awesome to see something you’re personally invovled in highlighted by a national magazine?! Hopefully this will bring a lot more attention to epilepsy and the keto diet, and start a lot more conversations.

Great article. The idea of “food as medicine” is an old one and yet it still struggles to find acceptance. Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement, talks about the concept. Hippocrates (460 BC – 370 BC) said, “Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food.” – though he also said things that seemed contradictory.

I’m afraid to read the comments. Comments that go against my own beliefs often anger me.

Me, too! The National Post article really was poorly written, almost seeming to purposely mislead. The ketogenic diet is not just some regular diet that happens to be “rich in fat” for Pete’s sake. Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful responses!

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Fawn from Whitehorse, Yukon, and this is my online home. I'm a Mama and a housewife by day and a jazz singer by night. This blog is all about mommyhood, childhood epilepsy, special diets, and just surviving the dishes and laundry... but you can check out my music site at fawnfritzen.com.